The socialist senator for Lanzarote and La Graciosa and Fourth Secretary of the Senate, Manuel Fajardo, has been part of the Senate delegation that traveled to Montevideo (Uruguay) and Buenos Aires (Argentina), from November 11 to 15, on the occasion of the promotion of the XII Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum, which will be held in Madrid next December.
During the institutional visit, Fajardo, along with members of the Senate delegation, visited the legislative chambers of both countries, as well as held working meetings with their respective Chambers of Commerce and with their embassy teams.The socialist senator also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of groups of Spaniards and descendants of Lanzaroteans who emigrated to those countries, sharing impressions, both vital and about the migratory phenomenon itself.
Audience with the President of Uruguay
During his stay in Montevideo, Francisco Manuel Fajardo was received in a private audience by the president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi Martínez, who has roots in Lanzarote, thanks to the efforts made by Felipe Bermúdez, former manager of the Manuel Velázquez Cabrera Foundation and Professor emeritus of the Theological Center of Las Palmas (currently ISTIC).
The senator for Lanzarote has described this meeting as "very positive and close," and explained that both shared opinions on various current political issues as well as on the historical phenomenon of immigrationFajardo took the opportunity to present the Uruguayan president with the books *Lanzarote: Unpublished Architecture*, by César Manrique, highlighting the artist's importance to the island's history, and *The Old Mariner*, by Víctor Bello.
Visit to the island "as soon as possible"
Finally, the PSOE senator expressed his satisfaction at having secured a commitment from the President of Uruguay to visit the island "as soon as possible" and to support from his country the events that will take place next year to mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of the city of **Montevideo**, by **families who came from the island of Lanzarote**.In this regard, Fajardo also conveyed to the president of Uruguay the commitment of the Spanish House of Culture, dependent on the Spanish embassy.
